


The Stars Were on Fire

by castieldauntlesswinchester



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Artist!Dean, Fluff, Happy Ending, M/M, Schmoop, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, mary is alive, punk!Cas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-06
Updated: 2014-12-06
Packaged: 2018-02-28 10:33:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2729147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/castieldauntlesswinchester/pseuds/castieldauntlesswinchester
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The moment Dean saw the light go out in the hallway, his heart pounded against his rib cage, threatening to jump out of his body and onto the floor if he wasn't careful. He drew a deep breath and surveyed his paint supplies. He'd been planning this for weeks- gathering supplies and smuggling the perfect paint colors home in the Impala, only bringing them inside the house when he was certain the entire town had fallen asleep and paid no mind to his suspicious behavior. It's not like he was doing anything wrong, anyway.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Stars Were on Fire

   The moment Dean saw the light go out in the hallway, his heart pounded against his rib cage, threatening to jump out of his body and onto the floor if he wasn't careful. He drew a deep breath and surveyed his paint supplies. He'd been planning this for weeks- gathering supplies and smuggling the perfect paint colors home in the Impala, only bringing them inside the house when he was certain the entire town had fallen asleep and paid no mind to his suspicious behavior. It's not like he was doing anything _wrong_ , anyway. _You mean besides sneaking out of the house in the middle of the night and everything? Is this really the right way to do this?_

   Clearing his mind, Dean stood and changed into the black clothes and stocking cap he'd hidden in his closet two weeks ago. He didn't start to feel guilty until he opened the black face paint. He hesitated, and started feeling pretty silly about the whole thing. _This will never work. I'm gonna get caught. Mom's a pretty light sleeper. I bet dad's still on the couch, there's no way he won't hear me leave. I'm screwed_. He dipped his fingers into the paint anyway, smearing it across his cheeks. He wasn't about to give up now, and he'd made up his mind weeks ago, _if I'm gonna do this thing, I am going full ninja_.

   He took the backpack full of various paint cans, brushes, sponges, reference pictures, and other tools and carefully pried the window open, grinding his teeth and praying to whoever was upstairs that his ancient window would not choose this moment to creak. He silently lowered his supplies out the window, wincing as it thumped to the ground. Those supplies hadn't been cheap, and if even a single paint can busted inside his pack, he was screwed.

   He crawled out the window and followed the path he'd already planned out, creeping near the treeline and approaching the side road that would take him around the center of their small town just far enough to stay out of sight and out of trouble, to the cookie-cutter suburban homes in the rich part of town, down Black Oak Avenue. If it weren't for the biting edge of the breeze, the hazy August night would've been almost hotter than usual, the kind of night that leaves you tossing and turning into the wee hours of the morning because your AC just doesn't stand a chance.

   Dean was all too aware of the gentle whispers the grass made beneath his shoes and the slide of his clothing as he walked, his breath too loud in the stark, eerie silence of Lawrence fast asleep. As his destination came into view, Dean checked the time on his watch: right on time. Everything was going according to plan, so far. He veered off the street and delved into the safety of the treeline, consciously steadying his breath. The house he peered into was three stories, with a covered patio, balconies, the whole shebang. It was almost disgusting how rich Cas's parents were, that they could afford a place like that one, in the most expensive neighborhood you could find in a small town like theirs. Cas's room was on the second floor, so he'd have to sneak through the house, but his parents would be fast asleep on the third floor, their room soundproofed, so Dean wasn't worried. Castiel never slept in his own room anyway. The sun room on the third floor had a huge skylight, and Cas loved nothing more than watching, mesmerized, as the universe turned around him. 

   Dean approached the house silently, growing bolder as he went. Every light in the house was dark, every window shuttered. Dean had a key to the Novak's house which Cas had given him on their first anniversary, exactly a year ago today. They had agreed, this year: no gifts. Dean's lips twisted into a knowing smirk as he fingered the cool, silver key and let himself in the back door of the house.

   The adrenaline pumping through his veins really hit him then. _This is really happening. I am actually_ in _Cas's house, in this ridiculous back getup and I'm really doing this._ Running his hand along the wall once he made his way through their massive kitchen and dining room, he found the stairs leading to Castiel's room and thanked the same whoever-was-up-there that the wood flooring didn't squeak. Cas's door was last on the left. It was shut. Dean hoped that Castiel hadn't chosen tonight to sleep in his bed like a normal person. He couldn't turn back now. _Oh no, I could,_ he thought. _But I won't._ He laid his hand on the doorknob, cursing himself and his crazy plans one last time before letting himself into Cas's room.

It was dark. And empty. Dean closed the door carefully behind him, letting out a breath of relief he didn't realize he'd been holding. He let his eyes drift over his blank canvas; it felt larger than it usually was.

   "Okay Dean, get it together. You can do this." He began unloading the supplies from his backpack and set to work.

 

 

* * *

 

   Castiel had sunk into the pillows beneath him on the couch, his eyelids growing heavy. He'd played with his lip ring until his bottom lip was tingly, running his hands through his hair and worrying about Dean. He'd been acting strange lately. Nervous. Castiel hated to think such a thing, but he'd been cheated on before. It was starting to look like the way people acted when they wanted to break up. When they were keeping a secret. But Dean still gave him the same genuine smile, still got lost in the sensation of him when they made out in the back of Dean's car, still laughed at Castiel like he didn't know how he got so lucky. They'd gone on a date tonight, fancy restaurants and suits and all. They had an amazing time. Dean never hesitated to tell Castiel he loved him. Was never afraid to kiss him in public, call him boyfriend, take him to his fancy art galleries, where people usually weren't sure what to make of Castiel's numerous piercings, tattoos, gauges, eyeliner, and black clothes. Castiel had already decided he would talk to Dean about it tomorrow. It had kept him up all night. Far above him, through the skylight, the stars were on fire, pinpoints of light scattered across the sky like jewels, the moon glowing, a piercing, creamy light against the stark black sky. It was the last thing he saw before he finally fell asleep.

 

 

* * *

 

 

   A dull orange glow rose on the horizon, and Dean was nearly panicking. _I knew this wouldn't work, I should've planned this better, I should've -_

   His thought were cut off by the sound of socked feet padding down the stairs slowly. 

   "Oh, no... No no no no no..." _Cas never wakes up this early. He sleeps the day away, why did he have to pick today to wake up early? What the hell?_

   Dean frantically pushed his paintbrush across the wall, moving even faster now, scared and nervous, but with the same practiced, easy precision. If Cas saw it before he was finished, he didn't know what he would do. He didn't let himself think about that. What a disaster that would be. He wasn't ready. If he could just have a little more time everything would be perfect-

   He swiped a sweaty hand across his forehead, feeling the cool streak of paint on his skin. "Son of a bitch." He grumbled to himself and kept working, he couldn't let a minor thing like a wild streak of paint slow him down. He needed to be done, like, _yesterday_.

   "Hey, Mom?" Dean froze, eyes wide, and then forced himself to keep working. The muffled voice just on the other side of the door was Cas's. _Wait, his mom is home?_ Dean thought his parents worked Saturdays. How convenient. Cas wakes up early, his parents don't go to work...

   "Thank God." Dean realized that no answer rose from his mother downstairs. He was just making sure she'd left. Dean painted his way over to the window looking out over the perfectly manicured front lawn and massive driveway - empty. He let out a silent breath, thanking those lucky stars that had been watching out for him lately.

   As he painted, flicking his wrist in jagged strokes, just like he'd practiced, achieving the exact effect he wanted, he tilted his head to listen closely. He should've kept the project simpler, not requiring so many layers of paint with so many different difficult techniques, but he wanted the very best for Cas. It had to be perfect. He couldn't screw up. Not this time.

   He didn't hear anything for a moment. That worried him. Dean would've heard footsteps if Cas had moved. The doorknob turned quickly, and the door swung open. 

   "What the hell - Dean -"

   Cas went from relaxed to shocked to amazed in about three seconds flat. Dean looked utterly horrified, paintbrush completely still, hovering just in front of the wall. Castiel seemed rooted to the spot, mouth hanging open, whether in awe or shock, Dean wasn't sure. The tension between them was unbearable. 

   "...So... Do you... like it?" Dean spoke first.

   Castiel stepped forward slowly, into his room, letting his hands hover over the wall Dean had painted. "Dean..." He breathed. "This is..."

   Dean had taken what was once a wall in Castiel's room, and transformed it into a galaxy. The stars burned off of the stark black background, threatening to set fire to the house. They were splattered across the room in a pattern that was natural and beautiful, the colors blending do perfectly, Castiel couldn't catch his breath. He stared at Dean with the same awe on his written in his features, and before Dean knew what to say, lips were crashing into his, teeth biting and teasing, tongue forcing its way past Dean's lips sloppily. Once Dean's brain caught up, he wrapped his arms around his boyfriend and kissed back eagerly. The clench of his heart that Dean hadn't quite noticed all night finally relaxed in his chest, tears of sweet joy finding their way down his face. 

   "I love you so much, Dean. You're incredible. This is amazing. Thank you so much."

   "Cas, wait." He pulled away slightly, holding Cas's shoulders. "There's just one more thing."

   The curiosity was written on his face, wondering how there could possibly be more. His eyes followed Dean's hand as he reached into his pocket, where a little round outline showed through the denim of his jeans. Cas's hands flew up to his mouth, tears streaming down his face. If Dean hadn't been so nervous, he would've smirked. For all the tats and piercings Cas was covered in, he was soft and squishy on the inside, just as much a hopeless romantic as Dean. He grasped the ring in his hand as he dropped to one knee, a sweaty, paint covered mess, and in the middle of a scattering of used paintbrushes and towels, partial cans of paint, he said, "Castiel James Novak, will you do me the honor of being my husband?"

   Cas dropped to his knees in front of Dean, wrapping his arms around him. "Yes, yes, of course, Dean, yes..." He cried into Dean's shoulder, gripping his fiance harder. Dean rubbed his hands up and down Castiel's back, holding him, pushing his cheek into Castiel's soft, dark hair. Castiel pulled away from Dean's shoulder to look him in the eyes, and Dean could've gone his whole life without the night sky, all the stars he'd ever seen were burning in Castiel's brilliant cobalt eyes. "How long have you been planning this?" Castiel couldn't stop smiling. He didn't care.

   "About a month." Dean smiled, and Cas's tears seemed to regain their strength, flowing freely down his face and showing no sign of stopping anytime soon. Cas cupped Dean's face in his hands, both of them with dazzling grins painted across their faces. Dean took Cas's left hand and slipped the simple silver band onto his ring finger, and Castiel crushed him in another hug. His lips dragged over Dean's ear when he whispered, "Dean, we're gonna get married."

   "Yeah, Cas. We're getting married." Kneeling on the floor together for what felt like hours, they let themselves get lost in their tears, laughing at everything and nothing at all.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you loved it ;) Comments and kudos are the breath in my lungs.


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